EX ALDERMAN NEWSLETTER 169 AND CHESTERFIELD 114
By John Hoffmann
March 16, 2015
ELLISVILLE DOES SOMETHING THAT CHESTERFIELD AND TOWN
AND COUNTRY CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE OUT: I have to give Ellisville
Mayor Adam Paul the tip of the hat. Last week I discovered that Ellisville is much more
transparent as their Municipal Court records are now being filed on casenet which
allows the public to review cases and follow cases. I have not seen Ellisville Municipal
Court cases on casenet before. It is good to see that Ellisville is going to transparency
of court records. There is no reason for Chesterfield and Town and Country not to
follow suit. If tiny well known speed trap Bella Villa, North County muni Bel Ridge, much
larger St. Ann and now Ellisville can put their court records in a public data base there is
no reason why big cities like T&C and Chesterfield can't. To say you can't is admitting
that you want to hide what your prosecutor and judge are up to.
Judge/Commissioner ANDERSON, DONALD
Assigned: KENNETH JR
ELLISVILLE MUNICIPAL
Location:
COURT
Disposition: Not Disposed
Date Filed: 06/18/2014
Case Type: Municipal Ordinance - Traffic
Here is what Ellisville Mayor Adam Paul wrote when I asked him about all court filings
now being in casenet and open to the public.
From: Adam Paul
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 9:41 AM
To: John Hoffmann
Subject: RE: question
To better serve our community we switched to the Office of State Courts Administrator software. The
cases are now sent directly to casenet. I try to promote good governance.
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ENGELMEYER AT IT AGAIN: As many readers know Chesterfield city prosecutor
is a man of many conflicts of interests. He is a prosecutor in Chesterfield, Des Peres
and Valley Park and the judge in Creve Coeur but also a defense attorney representing
people in other nearby towns.
I routinely check to see what 3-time DWI defendant Kathleen "Katie" Huggard is up to.
One of Katie's three DWI arrests in on our website homepage under "Our favorite Police
Reports." It is the one where Katie threatened to pee in the County Police Officer's
patrol car if he arrested her. Tim Engelmeyer represented her on that one.
3x drunk driver Huggard
Her defense attorney, Tim Engelmeyer Chesterfield prosecutor and
Creve Coeur judge.
The Ellisville DWI arrest was filed as a felony in 2013. However Bob
McCulloch's office reduced it to a misdemeanor. She pled guilty and her
license was revoked.
Twice in 2014 she was arrested by Ellisville officers for Driving While
Driver's License Revoked charges due to the DWI convictions. Guess who
is representing her? Yep the nearby prosecutor and judge:
HUGGARD , KATHLEEN
ANNE , Defendant
513 BEACON POINT
GROVER, MO 63040
represented by
Year of Birth: 1988
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ENGELMEYER , TIMOTHY ANDREW ,
Attorney for Defendant
13321 N OUTER FORTY RD
SUITE 300
CHESTERFIELD, MO 63017
Business: (636) 532-9933
On Sunday March 8 a St. Louis Post-Dispatch's editorial made a strong
point how defense attorneys who are also prosecutors and judges have
clear conflicts of interests. The Department of Justice also pointed out
problems with arrangement. Apparently everyone can see this but the
mayor and city council of Chesterfield.
THE WAVE IS COMING…WILL CHESTERFIELD AND TOWN AND
COUNTRY MAKE CHANGES OR HAVE THEIR COURTS TAKEN
OVER? Here is a quote from an article in the Post-Dispatch from Dan Knight the
president of the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. The second sentence of
the article along with the quote are pertinent.
Dan Knight, president of the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, said generating
revenue through fines is wrong. He also called for the end of municipal prosecutors also
practicing criminal defense.
“People must have confidence that they are treated fairly,” Knight said.
If the president of the Missouri Prosecuting Attorney's Association thinks
the dual roles of Tim Engelmeyer as a prosecutor and defense attorney
should be ended, then clearly everything I have been writing about every
six months while reviewing Chesterfield Court cases has some merit.
LIQUOR STORE THAT IS COMING TO MANCHESTER MEADOWS
SUBMITS SIGN REQUESTS: Total Wine will be moving into the former Office
Max location.
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FEBRUARY POLICE ACTIVITY…17 REPORTS OF STOLEN IDENTITY
FOR FILING OF FALSE IRS TAX RETURNS: In February 17 Town and
Country residents made police reports complaining of people having stolen social
security numbers and other identifying information and them filing tax returns where
refunds were sent to the suspects. Here are the February Town and Country Police
stats:
Officers responded to a total of 1327 calls for service and wrote a total of 194 reports, including:
56 Vehicle Crashes
45 Criminal Reports (17 are IRS frauds)
14 Driving While Intoxicated arrests (1 Felony, 0 Misd, 13 ord)
39 Misc Arrests (Traffic charges, Fugitive charges, Failure to appear charges, etc)
376 Traffic citations issued (227 speeding)
2015 Police Activity Town and Country YTD Jan-Feb
122 Vehicle Crashes
70 Criminal Reports
29 Driving While Intoxicated arrests (3 Felony, 1 Misd, 25 Ord)
92 Misc Arrests (Traffic charges, Fugitive charges, Failure to Appear charges, etc)
907 total traffic citations issued
587 speeding
DEER ACCIDENTS UP FROM 2014: Four crashes involving deer in January and now
four in February have 2015 deer accidents totals leading 2014 totals YTD 8-to-5.
Here is where the accidents happened in February:
Feb. 12 7:40 am Ladue Road east of Hwy 141 Ward 4
Feb. 21 6:11 pm NB Hwy 141 at Ladue Road Ward 4
Feb. 24 1:46 am NB 270 at I-64 Ward 1
Feb. 26 6:46 pm Clayton Road and Claymark Ward 1/2
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2015 Deer Accident Locations
I-270 1 Ward 1
Clayton Road Mason to Topping
1
Clayton Road Mason to Woods Mill 1
Conway Road 1
Ward 4
Ladue Road
2
Ward 4
Highway 141
1
Ward 4
Mason Road
1
Ward 4
Ward 2
Ward 3
EVENTS PLANNED FOR WIRTH PROPERTY WITH NO INPUT FROM
TOWN SQUARE TASK FORCE: The Town Square Task Force is
meeting through October trying to find out what to do with the 8.8 acres of
the Wirth property that the city bought for $2.3- million. However some
people at City hall apparently don't need no "stinkin" Task Force to tell
them what to do. On March 6 the city announced they would be holding a
BBQ and Music event at the Wirth property in a month. Here is the news
release:
BBQ Blowout!
Town Square (Wirth Property, 13360 Clayton Rd.)
Friday, April 10th 6-9:30 PM Live Music & BBQ for Sale
Saturday April 11th 11 AM-4 PM Music & BBQ for Sale
Don’t miss Town & Country’s first ever BBQ competition! This St. Louis BBQ Society
sanctioned event will host local competitors all vying for the big prize money. Some of the
competitors will also be set up as vendors to serve dinner on Friday evening and lunch on
Saturday. This event is the second event of the Budweiser BBQ Series. Come taste some
amazing BBQ!
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ACT FIRST AND THINK LATER! This of course brings up questions like, where will
everyone park? Is live amplified music what nearby homeowners are looking forward
to? Is having your house enveloped with the small of BBQ a good thing.
Vacant Wirth Property
Smoke pouring from a smoker at a BBQ contest
At the March 9th Board of Aldermen meeting I asked two alderpersons about this and
they said they were unaware of it. How can city staff decide to use a controversial piece
of property for a special event and not tell all the elected officials about it? Apparently
that is standard operating procedure in Town and Country and with at least one
Alderwoman and one staffer.
Let's say 600-to-1,200 people show up for the BBQ and music event. Where are you
going to put 300-500 cars? Let's say it is moderately more successful and 2,000 people
show up…where do you put 800 cars? Where are the portable restrooms located? How
does this effect traffic flow on Clayton Road?
I learned that the BBQ contest and concerts came from Park Director Anne Nixon, who
since day-one with the city has been an events person and not much for land
management. This is a great event, but it is too big for the little bit of land we have to
manage called the Wirth Property.
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Parks Director Anne Nixon
Ald. Lynn Wright
I have to think that Parks Commission Chair Ald. Lynn Wright clearly knew about the
BBQ competition and concerts. Why either Nixon or Wright did not inform all the elected
officials is a mystery to me.
I then asked city administrator Gary Hoelzer about the event and mentioned my
concerns over parking and traffic flow on Clayton Road among other things. Hoelzer
said he had the same concerns and the event was cancelled for Clayton Road at the
Wirth property just over the parking logistics alone. Gary said he was trying to get the
promoters to move it to the empty parking lot at the vacant Wal Mart store in the
Manchester Meadows Shopping Center. On Thursday March 12 the event was
moved to Chesterfield.
Town and Country staffers and elected officials need to admit that such events are best
held at the City of Chesterfield Amphitheater. The place can hold several thousand and
has a huge parking lot.
BOARD OF ALDERMEN MEETING March 9, 2015:
ANDERSON MISSES HER FOURTH MEETING IN 10 MONTHS: At the March 9
Board of Aldermen meeting Mayor/Cigarette Lobbyist Jon Dalton and alderwomen Lynn
Wright and Amy Anderson were absent. It was the fourth meeting Anderson has missed
since May. She campaigned how she was going to be the "Voice of the People." There
were two meetings cancelled, one last summer and one during the Christmas holidays.
That means Anderson was expected to show up to 20 meetings. The Voice of People
has missed 20% of the meetings.
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Three empty chairs on the right side of the dais.
TOWN AND COUNTRY CROSSING…THE RETURN OF STEIN MART AND THE
COFFEE SHOP DRIVE THRU:
If you remember last December Ed Eickhoff of Ramco-Gershenson Properties from
Farmington Hills, Michigan came to a P&Z meeting and dramatically claimed that
Clayton Road and Woods Mill Road were in a dire need of a high quality coffee shop.
We called BULL SHIT on Eickhoff pointing out there was a Starbucks in the Target
Store in the same shopping center where is wants a drive through coffee shop 700 feet
away. We also pointed out three other high end coffee shops on nearby corners.
Ed Eickhoff from Michigan
Eickhoff was back on Monday's Board of Aldermen meeting for the first reading of bills
for an amended site plan, signs and approval of an Architectural Review Board
recommendation. This time he was not screaming EMERGENCY THERE IS NOT
ENOUGH COFFEE…but he still had plans for a drive through coffee shop, specifically
at the northwest end of the center.
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Owners of Town and Country Crossing want to make this empty end store a drive thru coffee shop.
A NEW PROPONENT FOR THE PROJECT: Fred Meyland-Smith apparently didn't like
the way the presentation by Ramco-Gershenson Properties was going and from the
dais he went from an Alderman who will voted on this matter in two weeks, to part of a
spokesman for the Town and Country Crossing Shopping Center Team. Meyland-Smith
ordered the power point to be moved to different photos and spent 15 minutes giving his
own presentation.
In reality the shopping center owners went back and made a few minor tweaks after
listening to issues that came up at the first Planning and Zoning meeting. This will pass
with no problem.
MEYLAND-SMITH TAKES A SHOT AT HIS CHALLENGER OR MAYBE ME: The
revised plan for the entire shopping center including the new Stein Mart store increases
the overall square footage versus what was original approved in 2007 by 11,000 square
feet. This is no big deal. However Fred "Talks a Lot" Meyland-Smith thought it might
be. Meyland-Smith said how he was in favor of the new plans and then added this
comment:
"Unless I get harpooned by certain parties for advocating more commercials space."
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I don't know if this is directed at his opponent in the April election Mary Steward or
towards me. However Fred is so famous of saying stupid things, like the time Bill
McClellan came to a meeting when the board was going to vote on a budget I prepared
to save the jobs of three women city employees. McClellan had just written a column
when he contacted mayor Dalton by phone and thought it was interesting that Dalton
was on a ski lift in Colorado.
Meyland-Smith made it a point to dress down one of the top political columnists in the
country and loudly told him how "unprofessional" he thought the column was. Of course
I was unaware that Meyland-Smith had been in the column writing business and would
know if something was professional or unprofessional. Anyway, McClellan was able to
use Meyland-Smith's outburst in his next column.
BENIGAS IS WORRIED THAT STEIN MART WILL BE WILDLY SUCCESSFUL! "I
think Stein Mart will be wildly successful," said Alderman John Benigas. "But with the
speed bumps on the parking lot, I'm worried that traffic will be backed up to the
circle…er…I mean roundabout,"
Apparently Benigas doesn't get around much. There is a Stein Mart at Manchester and
McKnight in Rock Hill near the very wealthy City of Ladue. Traffic is not backed up onto
Manchester Road with people trying to get to the Stein Mart. The drive thru lanes at
Starbucks and Wendy's cause the traffic issues and not Stein Mart.
The idea of Benigas being delayed in getting to the Whole Foods Stores in the Town
and Country Crossing to buy overpriced veggies for his vegetarian diet is frightening.
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BENIGAS WANTS SHOPPING CENTER WALKING PATH TO TIE INTO THE
SAVANNAH OAKS TRAIL….A CASE OF OVER GOVERNMENT. Jon Benigas then
proved how Ronald Reagan had a very good point when he said, "The problem with
government is government."
Benigas noted the shopping center had planned a trail around the center. Ed Eickhoff
said the 1 mile walk included had quarter-mile signs marking people's progress.
Benigas then asked if the shopping center could tie in their walkway with that of the new
subdivision's sidewalks and also walkway through the Savannah Oak property on the
corner of Clayton Road and Henry. Why would homeowners want strangers walking
through their subdivision? This suggestion was made by Benigas who lives in a gated
community with a guard house to keep out walkers.
While the Clayton Road is in Chesterfield and Henry Avenue is in Ballwin, the wooded
area is in Town and Country. An agreement was made that Pulte Homes and later the
subdivision trustees would maintain the Oak Savannah.
However there are now dead trees that could fall on the sidewalk or into Clayton Road.
The City and Pulte refuse to remove these trees. The city says it is Pulte Homes'
responsibility. While Pulte claims the area is suppose to be a natural reserve and the
trees should be left alone, even the dead ones.
Town and Country Crossing is wise to stay as far away from the Savannah Oaks area
as possible.
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LINDA RALLO MAKES A GOOD POINT BUT DOESN'T FOLLOW THROUGH…
During the agenda meeting it was mentioned that Building M (shown in photo on page
8) would be a "drive through restaurant." Rallo asked if that meant it could be any kind
of a drive thru restaurant, like a Taco Bell.
Ed Eickhoff responded they were only dealing with coffee type facilities. Well that did
not answer Rallo's question. It is easy to say this since Linda was dressed to the nines
with a nice pair of high heels to boot…but she didn't have the balls to force an answer.
In fact none of the alderpersons forced an answer at this point.
Rallo who voted for the latest Dalton budget with $25,000 for Beautification Grants to
give millionaires tax money for new plantings and signs at the entrance to their
subdivision despite the budget having an overall $1.2 million deficit. Rallo justified her
vote by saying, "I like nice things."
I like Taco Bell and even the new Taco Bell buildings. Apparently those are not on
Linda's list of "nice things." Ald. Lynn Wrights says "art is in the eye of the beholder"
when I complain about her allowing shows with hard-R sexually graphic art pieces to be
hung in a building in the city park. It seems to be that "nice things" are also in the eye of
the beholder.
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A Taco Bell Drive Thru
During the regular Board of Aldermen meeting it was claimed that the aldermen could
still vote to keep specific restaurants out of the building already approved as a "drive
thru" restaurant. The only person who would come out ahead on this would be city
attorney Steve Garrett as he bills the city for defending a losing lawsuit when the
aldermen try and keep out a "drive thru restaurant" in Building M of the Town and
Country Crossing Shopping Center.
Ed Eickhoff tried to convince board members that he was a man of his word and they
could trust in him about finding an appropriate coffee type restaurant to go into the
center. Apparently Ed is unfamiliar with corporate buyouts, sell offs of some
underperforming properties and even sudden deaths of corporate vice-presidents.
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LINDA RALLO MAKES A STUPID POINT MUCH LIKE SOMEONE COMPLAINING
ABOUT THE NOISE AFTER BUYING A HOUSE NEXT TO THE AIRPORT RUNWAY.
The next issue Linda took on was what Ramco-Gershenson was going to do to be sure
no children from the backyard of a house backing up to the main drive into the shopping
center off Clayton Road are hit by a car chasing a ball.
Eickhoff said that really wasn't their problem. He was right! The shopping center was
built and in operation for over four years before the first house was being built by Pulte
Homes on the west side of the drive into the shopping center.
If anyone ought to be making safety warnings are installing fence or walls to ensure
safety it is Pulte Homes and not the shopping center.
SAFETY ISSUES:
SPOKESMAN FOR MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY SAY THEY WANT TO BE GOOD
NEIGHBORS EVEN TO THE FIRE MARSHAL: I got a laugh during the Site Plan
Ordinance and Architectural Review for a new dorm on the campus of Maryville
University.
Consulting engineer John Willems was filling in for the vacationing smooth talking and
slick George Stock of Stock and Associates. We are going to be kind here and simply
say that Willems was struggling with his presentation. As I was about to nod off Willems
suddenly got my attention. It concerned changes to the plans which eliminate a couple
of parking spaces to increase a fire lane for access to emergency vehicles in front of the
planned college dormitory. Willems was complaining that the West County EMS & Fire
Protection District Fire Marshall originally approved the plans but then changed his mind
about the fire lane.
"Maryville, being the good neighbor that it is and wanting to get along with the fire
marshal moved some parking spaces," said Willems.
I don't think being a "GOOD NEIGHBOR" had crap to do with the decision on Maryville's
part. Getting an occupancy permit from the fire marshal so they could put students in a
dorm they planned to build probably had more to do with it than neighborliness.
EVERYONE AGREES IT A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE…THEN THEY DON'T SPEED
THINGS UP GETTING THE FIX: There was a bill on first reading to allow the Moog
center for Deaf Education to expand its parking lot. The Moog Education Center is
located just to the north of the City Hall and Police Station on a curve where Municipal
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Center Drive stops being a service road for I-270 and turns into the South Outer Forty
Road and is a service road for I-64/Highway 40.
A deaf education center in the City of St. Louis had closed and spiked enrollment at
Moog. There were not enough parking spaces on the the lot and people began parking
on the Interstate Highway Service Road.
Alva Moog stated they wanted to add 14 parking spaces and described it as a safety
issue. He talked about parents of deaf students having to park on the shoulder of the
service road where there are no sidewalks to walk to the school and how dangerous it
was. All the aldermen present seemed to agree with Moog about how unsafe it was
for parents and deaf students to have to walk along a highway service road. The bill
was then continued to the meeting of March 23.
Bills normally have to be first read and then voted on two weeks later to give the public
a chance to voice any concerns or thoughts about the legislation and to allow the
elected officials to investigate the proposal further if they wish.
There are some exceptions to the "First Reading and Second Reading/Vote" rule and
one of them deals with SAFETY. This is clearly a safety issue…but not one of the six
alderpersons present moved to read the bill for a second time and pass it so maybe the
dangerous situation of people parking on the shoulder could be eliminated two weeks
faster.
SAFETY ISSUE III: Thursday night I noticed a construction trailer was blocking the
directional sign for motorists to get on I-64 at Mason Road. It is bad enough that the
BJC building project is closing lanes at a busy intersection. But now workers are
parking construction trailers in front of an important sign to guide out-of-towners onto
the interstate. It turned out the trailer belonged to MoDOT.
15
A QUIET EXIT: Officer John Mattingly finished 30 years on the job this month with the
Town and Country Police. His official last date on the books was March 4 which was
his 30th anniversary with the department. However his actual last day on the streets
was in February as he took a few weeks of vacation. 30 years at one Cop Shop is quite
an achievement. I did 30 years in law enforcement working for five different agencies in
three different metropolitan areas.
Officer John Mattingly having ditched his uniform weeks
earlier, get a handshake and certificate plus a LAGERS pension.
FERGUSON FALLOUT:
THE SHOOTING: The Webster Groves and St. Louis County police officers who
were shot on Thursday March 12 just after midnight while assisting the Ferguson PD
after protesters blocked the street in front of the police station, sent out a strong
message.
The message is to the communities in St. Louis County and to Governor Nixon. It was
officers from Chesterfield, Manchester, Florissant and Shrewsbury officers were on the
scene when the Webster Groves and St. Louis County officers were shot on Thursday
morning helping provide cover for reporters to get to a safe area.
16
The idea of this type of Police Mutual Aid responses dates back to the Washington
University ROTC building arson fire back in 1969.
Students were throwing rocks, bricks and bottles at firefighters keeping them away from
the burning building. The campus where the fire was is actually in unincorporated St.
Louis County. There was not a campus police force like there is today and there was a
problem getting enough cops to the scene to protect the firefighters.
This event created the Code 1000 where between 100 and 200 officers from all the
departments ini the county could respond to a single incident. The last time a Code
1000 was used prior to the Mike Brown shooting was for a riot after a rock concert was
cancelled in mid performance at the Verizon Center in Maryland Heights. That was a
onetime event and one callout.
The Michael Brown shooting and its aftermath has turned into a siege.
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It is not fair to all the agencies to have to keep sending officers and cars to Ferguson.
The City of Webster Groves is responsible for the medical bills, workers comp and filling
the work schedule with officers on overtime after their officer was shot on duty over 30
miles away from the Webster Groves City Limits.
The fact that later on Thursday the St. Louis County Police and Missouri Highway Patrol
agreed to take over the police presence at any further protests in Ferguson was a move
in the right direction. Of course this means fewer County officers to answer calls and
fewer troops to respond to accidents. But after seven months hopefully municipal police
officers can stop making the drive to Ferguson.
Legal Services: After the Ferguson Judge Ronald "Deadbeat" Brockmeyer
resigned, followed quickly by City Manager John Shaw and Police Tom Jackson…it led
us to look at the rest of the legal department of the City of Ferguson.
We pointed out last week how the Municipal Judge Ron Brockmeyer not only owes the
IRS over $172,000, he hasn't paid the real estate taxes in two years on his law office
building in St. Charles. He has been late in paying his vehicle taxes for the last five
years and in 10 of last 15 years has been as much as 2 1/2 years overdue in paying his
real estate taxes on a house in Florissant.
This raises two two questions…who vetted this guy for reappointment by the city council
and also who was the city prosecutor who let him fleece lower income defendants in
Municipal Court.
The answer is that it was the same person, Stephanie E. Karr, who was both the city
attorney and prosecutor in Ferguson. That is almost a conflict of interest because as a
prosecutor you will not consider a defense attorney's position an ordinance is
unconstitutional because as City Attorney you helped draft it and pass it.
Stephanie Karr
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Karr is a partner of the Law firm of Curtis, Heinz, Garrett, O'Keefe. That is the same law
firm that supplies the city attorney (Steve Garrett), prosecutor (Brian Malone) and P&Z
Counsel (Ken Heinz) to Town and Country.
It is interesting that as of March 11 the only way to find that Karr is city attorney in
Ferguson is to get the minutes of past meetings where she is listed by title as being in
attendance. If you go to the Curtis, Heinz, Garrett, O'Keefe website you will see a blank
line where Karr's work as city attorney and PA in Ferguson had been. What does this
say of the transparency of this law firm when they list all the city government clients past
and present of their attorneys, with one exception which they deleted. It is also
interesting that Karr works for a number of well known speed traps in the metro area.
CITY ATTORNEY
City of Edmundson (2004 – present)
City of New Melle (2003 – 2013)
Village Attorney, Village of Bellerive Acres (2002 – present)
Village Prosecutor, Village of Bel-Nor (2001 – present)
City Prosecutor, City of Hazelwood (2004 – present)
In fact here is a list of some of the more notorious cities with speed traps that was
recently represented or is currently represented by Curtis, Heinz, Garrett and O'Keefe.
City
Population
Bel Nor
1,490
Cool Valley
1,193
Country Club Hills 1,268
Edmundson
837
Velda City
1,410
size
# of Police
0.63 sq miles
0.48 sq miles
0.18 sq miles
0.28 sq miles
0.16 sq miles
# of veh stops in 2013
6
478
7 contract in 2013 1,326 (2012)
8
1802
10
2014
14
730
FOLLOW THE MONEY…THE LOCAL RACES:
Town and Country Board of Aldermen:
Ward 2:
Tim Walsh: Tim has not formed a Campaign Committee or filed a campaign
contribution report by March 5 which is required by Missouri Law if he plans to spend
over $1,000 during the campaign.
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A mailing for Ward 2 counting printing and postage is about $700. 50-to-100 yard signs
and stakes are another $500. So if you get a printed flier in your mailbox and see Walsh
for Alderman signs in a yard…you will know that Walsh likely violated Ethics laws. If you
just get a flier or you don't get a flier and see only signs he is likely in compliance.
Tiffany Frautschi Tiffany has been on a whirlwind going to teas and neighborhood
campaign parties. Frautschi, who appears to be her own person not tied to anyone, like
Mayor/Cigarette Lobbyist Jon Dalton or any other member of the Board of Alderman
appears to be getting support from all over Ward-2.
On February 26 Frautschi had already spent $1,584 on printing costs and a mailer. She
still has $1,647 in the bank.
$500 Kevin Beckman Stifel Lane (Ward -3 former alderman)
$300 Jennifer Harbaugh Wheaton Hill Ct T&C
$300 Jeanne Martin Bradburn T&C
$300 Radha and Vijay Patnana Timor Ct T&C
$250 Kevin Morrell Ballwin, MO
$250 Christiana Roemer Manor Hill Rd T&C
$200 Ann Hamilton Thornhill Dr T&C (Former alderwoman)
$200 James and Mary Sertl S. Mason Road T&C
$150 Debra and Doug Jansma and Rushing Thornhill Dr T&C
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Frautschi also raised $1,082 from people giving less than $100.
Ward 3
Fred Meyland-Smith The official wind bag of the board of aldermen, Fred MeylandSmith's 40-day before the election report does not show much activity or a groundswell
of voter support. There are only five contributors and one of them is Fred! On February
26, 2015 Fred had a whole $829 in his campaign account.
$500
$500
$180
$100
$ 50
Mark Dow 1141 Chatsworth Place T&C (Fred's campaign treasurer)
Fred himself
Alden Craddock VP Maryville University
Kraig and Sandra Kreikemeier 1024 Woodfield T&C (neighbors of Fred and
Kraig serves on the P&Z Commission with Fred)
Jim and Joyce Haven 822 Mason Wood Dr. T&C (Jim Haven is a former alderman)
All but one of Fred's contributors are from Ward-3. The one that isn't is Alden Craddock
with Maryville University. You have to wonder if this was a pay back from MeylandSmith's vote on the P&Z and then at the Board of Aldermen in favor of the rezoning
property along Conway Road from residential to a special use for Maryland University.
Mary Steward Money perhaps isn't a big issue for Mary
Steward as the Steward family has lots of it. However some of
the support is interesting, especially coming to a candidate who
favors the city's use of lethal deer management. Both "deer
whackos" who contributed to Steward's campaign have had a
dislike for Meyland-Smith for some time. On February 25
Steward has $1,010 in her campaign account.
$3,200
$500
$300
$200
Lion's Forge Maryland Heights (The Lion's Forge is a comic book producer
and publisher owned by Steward's husband, David Steward, III. The $3,200
is an "in-kind" contribution meaning it was likely for material design or printing.)
Kevin Beckman Stifel Lane T&C (Kevin is a former Ward-3 alderman)
Husband David Steward
Eric Alan Gerber 13482 Mason Village T&C (Gerber is a former alderman and
a deer whacko. He and Meyland-Smith got into a shoving match when
Meyland-Smith blocked Gerber's way to a deer management site in 2012
causing Gerber to unleash a verbal attack on Meyland-Smith at the next Board
of Alderman meeting.)
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$100
$100
$100
$ 75
No-Rezoning in Town and Country 13004 Starbuck Road T&C
Richard Jensen 13004 Starbuck Road T&C
David Spewak 5 Williamsburg Lane (Neighbor and Steward's campaign treasurer)
Richard Palmer 604 Greenwich Green T&C (Husband of #1 Deer Whacko Marette Palmer)
MONARCH FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT:
Robin Harris: The board president, who along with Jane Cunningham after she was
elected in 2013 returned the fire board from a pro-fire union to a pro-taxpayer board. It
is interesting that in the spring of 2014 Monarch Board Member Jane Cunningham gave
$70,000 of the $75,000 in her campaign account left over when she was a Missouri
Senator and then when she ran for the Fire District board to Republican State Rep Rick
Stream who was running for County Executive. It was a surprisingly close race, with
Stream losing to Democrat Steve Stenger. It turns out the Stream has some money left
from the race and he is returning it to either Cunningham or the campaign of Fire Board
president Robin Harris.
$15,000
$13,100
$7,000
$7,000
$5,001
$1,000
$500
$500
$500
$300
$500
$200
$200
$100
Missourians for Tim Jones (Former Speaker of the House)
Cunningham Campaign Committee
Richard Gans (former Fire Board President) Chesterfield, MO
Robin Harris (candidate Fire Board President)
Friends of Rick Stream
Richard Barber Chesterfield, MO
Dr. Steven Smith Chesterfield
Keystone Construction Co. Chesterfield, MO
Citizens to Elect Don Gosen (State Rep) Chesterfield, MO
Lauren Stelmacki Des Peres, MO
Citizens to Elect Sue Allen (State Rep Town and Country)
John Hammond Walnut Hill Farm Dr Chesterfield
Charles Dobbins 1556 Yarmouth Point Dr Chesterfield
Bob Nation Mayor of Chesterfield
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$100
$100
$50
$50
Michael Henja Chesterfield, MO Gundaker Commercial Realty
Paul Saiter 1328 Carriage Crossing Lane Chesterfield, MO
Nancy Greenwood Chesterfield City Councilwoman
Brad Sellenriek Winding Place Drive Chesterfield, MO
Harris had $45,277 on hand when he filed the 40-day Before Election Report on
February 25.
Kelley Miller: The 18 month resident of the fire district,
who came to a fire board meeting and after complaining
about Robin Harris and Jane Cunningham hiring the
current fire chief and assistant fire chief added it was not
the last they had seen of her. For every intent and
purpose she seems to be a candidate from the
firefighter's union, Local 2662. She was sent a warning letter on March 3
by the Board of Election Commissioners for being seven days late in filing
the "40-Day Before Election" contributions report. She filed the report the
next day on March 4.
It was interesting that Miller's campaign organization's name is "Taxpayers
for Kelley Miller," but there were no Monarch taxpayers on her contributor
list.
$750
$100
$50
David Houston Tamaroa, IL
Larry Parres 9321 Fox Glen Dr Sunset Hills, Mo 63126
Martha Winters High Ridge, MO.
Of course this is normal for any candidate backed by the firefighter's
union. To keep the person the firefighter union candidate is running against from
sending out fliers showing their opponent is backed by the firefighter's union, the Union
waits until the last minute to make large contributions. Two years ago when Cole
McNary was being backed by the firefighter's union they contributed over $20,000 to
McNary just before the election that went on the post-election campaign finance report
so Jane Cunningham could not use it as a campaign issue.
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CHESTERFIELD CITY COUNCIL
Ward One:
Nancy Greenwood: The former mayor and current Ward-1 councilwoman reported
$1,685 at the 40-Day before election mark. Since she had only formed the committee
four days before she made the report, she had not spent any money yet. She had three
contributors giving over $100 and a number giving less than $100 which totaled $535.
She also loaned her campaign $500.
$250
$250
$150
Carol Kenney 256 Ridge Trail Dr Chesterfield, MO
Barbara McGuiness 95 Riverbend Dr Chesterfield, MO
Elaine Zukowski 88 Riverbend Dr Chesterfield, MO
Nancy Greenwood
HARVEY ROSENBERG AND JIM BROWN: Neither candidate opposing incumbent
Greenwood has filed a Campaign Committee. That means they cannot spend over
$1,000 without breaking the law. The larger wards in Chesterfield means one mailing of
a printed flier to the entire ward would cost over $1,000.
Candidate Harvey Rosenberg
Jim Brown, but I don't think it is the Jim Brown running in Ward 1
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GREEN TEAM SEEMS TO SPIN WHEELS:
On the March 2 agenda for the Green Team Commission meeting under "Old Business"
was the topic of "Climate Action Plan Development." Wow I was hoping the Green
Team was going to have a plan to change the climate. I would have voted for a longer
"Indian Summer."
Unfortunately changing the climate was not to be. Commission members tried to come
up with specific goals for action (things to do). Here are a few.
GREEN TEAM COMMISSION VS ART COMMISSION: Linda Robson and
Linda Hultgren both suggested planting high Prairie Grass on parts of the City Hall
grounds. They both mentioned putting Prairie Grass around the Trova sculptures at the
City and and at Longview Park, inferring that hiding the sculptures would be providing a
community service. This was a clear swipe at the art commission who acquired the
sculptures from the St. Louis County Parks Department which had been hiding them in
a warehouse.
The two Lindas who advocated high Prairie Grass to hide the City Hall sculpture that resembles a couple
of satellite dishes that got dumped.
FARMERS MARKET: Dirk Maas wanted to open up a city sponsored farmers' market,
hopefully an organic farmers' market. He said this should be the Green Team's one
central goal for the next two years.
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Fellow commissioner Doug Rushing, a biologist of some note who works for Monsanto,
mentioned that if Maas wanted an "Only Organic" farmers market he should put out two
card tables because that was all he'd need. Rushing went on to explain how almost all
local farms of any size use pesticides and fertilizers.
Biologist Doug Rushing explains how there are not enough "organic" farms in the local area to supply a
farmers market as Dirk Maas takes a defensive position.
WORMS: Later both Lindas were pushing for classes to residents on "all organic"
gardens. This caused Doug Rushing to ask them what they did when their tomatoes
were covered with worms if they refused to use pesticides. They replied they simply pick
off the worms.
Next Doug asked what would they do if they had an acre of tomatoes. They replied that
they would pick off as many worms as they could.
THE MEETING OF FOLDED ARMS: If you noticed the above two photos each showed
members with their arms folded, possibly while in disagreement of something being
said. That included the committee chairman, Jon Benigas.
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UNAPPROVED CHESTERFIELD NEWSLETTER 114
March 16, 2015
FIVE CITIES AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY NOW FIGHTING AGAINST
CHESTERFIELD'S LAWSUIT TO END SALES TAX POOL: The cities of Ballwin,
Wildwood, Webster Groves, Florissant and University City have joined St. Louis County
as Party Intervenor-Defendants in Chesterfield's Law suit against the State of Missouri
in attempt to remove the Sales tax Pool that only applies to some cities in St. Louis
County.
Webster Groves is the latest city to join the lawsuit trying to protect their revenue flow
from the tax pool.
Webster Groves Mayor Gerry Welch called the lawsuit approved by the entire
Chesterfield City Council as "quite shameful."
Webster Groves will kick in between $35,000 and $40,000 to pay for the legal bills to
fight Chesterfield.
Here is a section of an article by Mary Shapiro in the Webster-Kirkwood Times quoting
Welch:
"This new formula gives a few well-off cities more revenue by taking it off the backs of the
majority of those which provide municipal services in St. Louis County," she had testified,
saying that only seven local cities would benefit from a law change, though 85 would not.
"It doesn't increase the pie – it simply gives bigger slices to those who need it least," she said.
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Read more: http://www.websterkirkwoodtimes.com/Articles-Webster-Groves-i-2015-03-06194749.114137-Council-Moves-To-Join-Suit-On-Sales-Tax-Distribution.html#ixzz3TdCpORDa
Follow us: @WKTimes on Twitter | WebsterKirkwoodTimes on Facebook
Welch last involved Webster Groves on the losing side of a lawsuit filed against the city
by Webster University and Eden Seminary after Webster Groves tried to block the sale
of seminary property to WU and the university's intended use of the library building on
the Eden property.
FIREFIGHTER'S UNION CLAIMS FIRE DISTRICT DISBANDED EXPLORER
PROGRAM TEN DAYS AFTER MONARCH FIRE DISTRICT PAID TO RENEW THE
EXPLORER POST'S CHARTER WITH BOY SCOUTS.
The Lie On Tuesday March 10 firefighter's Union Local 2665 posted on their website
and sent to some media people a news release saying how the Monarch Fire Protection
District has ended the District's Boy Scout Explorer Post Program.
Here is part of the release: MARCH 10, 2015, St. Louis, Missouri…The Monarch Fire Protection
District has ended a popular, award-winning program for Boy Scouts that Monarch Firefighters and
Paramedics have administered for more than 20 years to young people interested in fire service careers.
The program ended effective January 1, 2015, when the district Board of Directors did not
renew the program’s charter with the Boy Scouts of America. Since the early 1990s, the program
has been affiliated with the Boy Scouts’ Explorer Post #2202 in Chesterfield. The program cost
the district about $1,500 per year.
“It’s a disgrace that this program has been dropped,” said John Borgmann, a former Assistant
Chief at Monarch who managed the program for nine years. “Hundreds of Boy Scouts
participated over the years since the program began at Monarch in the early 1990s; many of
them eventually became excellent firefighters and paramedics. It has been great for the Boy
Scouts and great for the community.”
(Left) John Borgmann (right) former Chief Tom Vineyard (Right) Ast. Chief Cary Spiegel who claims he
paid the renewal for the Explorer program to the Boy Scouts, that Borgmann didn't. (Right) Fire Chief
Chuck Marsonette.
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THE TRUTH: Former Assistant Chief Borgmann did not pay the renewal for the
Explorer Post due on January 1, 2014. Borgmann retired from the Fire District in March
of 2013. Borgmann had been closely associated with Local 2665 since he was
promoted to the command staff by the former pro-union board.
The Explorer Post has continued uninterrupted led by a firefighter/paramedic and
member of Local 2665, said Assistant Chief Cary Spiegel. While the membership is
down to just five Explorers, they still meet regularly according to Spiegel.
Spiegel said he paid the renewal with the Boy scouts on March 3 or seven days before
Local 2665 claimed it was disbanded.
Here is a portion of Monarch Fire Chief Chuck Marsonette press release in response to
Local 2665.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 11, 2015
Contact Chief Chuck Marsonette at (314) 514-0900
MONARCH EXPLORER POST 2202 TO REMAIN IN SERVICE
As a past Explorer Post President, and Vice President of the Explorer Presidents association of Missouri in my
teens; I can assure you that Post 2202 of the Monarch Fire Protection District, will be maintained and reinvigorated under the current Command Staff as career education for young women and men. The Board of
Directors supports my staff and I, in continuing the Explorer program as we have been doing. In fact, Assistant
Chief Spiegel has contacted the Boy Scouts of America in recent months, requested; and was granted a variance to
continue post operations to reverse lackluster membership under the previous Assistant Chief – John Borgmann.
I have begun an investigation of the recent false press release by the public employee union and here are some of
my findings: The Boy Scouts of America have been paid by check number 1107 in the amount of $256.00, for the
annual renewal of our Explorer post charter from an invoice received from the Boy Scouts. The check was issued
on 3-2-2015. Assistant Chief Spiegel forwarded this information for payment during his effort to revitalize the
program. Previous to this, Monarch Fire Assistant Chief Borgmann did not pay the 2014 invoice for the same, nor
did he direct that action be taken to address it. My investigation is continuing.
Unfortunately, the Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T) program has also been left unattended while
former Chief Vineyard and, now retired, Assistant Chief Borgmann were in charge. Assistant Chief Spiegel is reinitiating the Fire District’s involvement in that program as well.
FROM THE DAIS ON EXPLORERS: At the March 13 meeting of the Monarch Fire
Board during the "President's Report" Robin Harris asked Steve Swyers if he had
directed anyone to disband the fire District's Explorer Program.
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"In as much that I'm on the Executive Board of the St. Louis Regional Council of the Boy
Scouts of America, the answer would be no," said Swyers.
He next asked Jane Cunningham the same question. Her answer was "No."
"Speaking for myself," said Harris, "we provide the maximum support for the Explorer
program. It looks as if under the previous command staff (Chief Vineyard and Ast. Chief
Borgmann) it languished.
THE NON VOICE OF ST. LOUIS: Local 2665 had a number of suckers who will bite on
any press release pointing toward mismanagement involving the Fire District. Recently
they have all been red herrings. The one that took the bait this time on the made up
Explorer issue was KMOX. Here is the article they had on their website:
MONARCH, Mo. (KMOX) – More controversy in the Monarch Fire Protection
Explorer Program that has been in existence for 20 years.
According to union representatives, the program ended effective
District, this time involving the
Jan. 1.
But Monarch Fire Chief Chuck Morsonette tells KMOX News, that is not true.
He says Asst. Fire Chief Cary Spiegel contacted Boy Scouts of America and was informed the Explorer
Program had become lackluster and didn’t have enough membership under the previous administration.
KMOX contacted Explorer Post 2202’s Mary April, and she says that statement is not accurate.
April says the post “wouldn’t be able to continue the program with that particular posts if there wasn’t enough
kids and if there wasn’t enough leaders.”
Morsonette says his administration is moving forward
to reinvigorate the Explorer Pro
WHERE IS IT? First of all to the Voice of St. Louis, maybe they could tell me where
Monarch, Missouri is? The dateline of the story listed it from Monarch, MO. The Fire
District headquarters are located in Chesterfield, MO.
WHO? KMOX misspelled Monarch Fire Chief Chuck Marsonette's name twice.
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KMOX did not identify anyone with Local 2665 who incorrectly claimed the program
ended on January 1.
Next KMOX misidentified Mary April as being with the Fire District's Explorer Post
2202. Mary April is with the St. Louis Regional Council of the Boy Scouts of America
and not as KMOX reported with Explorer Post 2202.
Also missing: There was no byline to identify the person at KMOX who wrote this 131
word piece of Total Misinformation.
We routinely look at mistakes in the media…but this lack of reporting is beyond a
mistake…it is simply sad coming from a former leader in St. Louis news.
REAL ESTATE: NEW $4.85 MILLION LISTING: Barry and Susan Babcock's Ladue
home at 760 Kent Road is on the market for $4,850,000 listed by Janet McAfee.
The 10,738 foot house built in 1997 has seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, but only a
four-car garage. Barry and Susan also have a 2012 750 BMW, a 2010 Subaru Outback
and a 2008 Range Rover.
Taxes on the house are $39,214. A few years ago the Babcock's house was 63rd on
the list of the 100 highest taxed residential properties in the area.
Babcock, 67, is one of the founders of Charter Communications.
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THE TOP FOUR: Here are the top three residential properties in St. Louis County with
the highest tax rates.
$174,049
$113,194
$ 96,511
$ 72,016
7400 Grant Road Grantwood Village The Busch Estate at Grants Farm
1700 S. Warson Road Ladue Dennis Jones
20 South Upper Warson Ladue Thomas Brouster
7 Huntleigh Woods Huntleigh Donald Wayne
RESTAURANT REVIEW: There is one coming up next week.
MUSIC: Wednesday Night at Sasha's…Keyboard player Chris "Lupy" Swan shouts
out after we take an upper level seat at Sasha's on Wednesday.
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BAR LOUIE ON THURSDAY: I joked about this writing about Harpo's once, but I
thought it might happen on Thursday night when I stopped at Bar Louie in the
Chesterfield Valley to see Joe Mancuso. Honest to God, I was the oldest person in the
place and frankly Joe and guitarist Dave Black were the second and third oldest. I was
worried that I might be carded and asked to leave due to my advance age. I arrived at
about 10 o'clock and stayed for about an hour.
The place is open until 1:30 on weeknights. The menu is a bit pricey with burgers in the
$11 range. But the wait staff was exceptionally nice. Joe was singing the blues. I really
wasn't feeling like the blues. My wife and I had a 1:20 appointment the next day to
euthanize a dog we had raised as a pup due to a severely adverse medical condition.
But then Joe's daughter Chela Mancuso, a sophomore music major at Webster
University, showed, sang a couple of songs, put a smile on my face just in time to leave.
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE WILDEY IN EDWARDSVILLE: 75-percent of the seats
were sold for the Dean Christopher Rat Park show at the Wildey Theater on Main Street
in Edwardsville. (BTW The Wildey has great seating areas with plenty of butt and leg
room.) This is the fourth time I have seen Dean's regular Rat Pack Show ( I have seen
his Christmas Show six times)…he changed it up a bit and then added 10 minutes of
ad-libs with the audience.
I knew everybody in the band. It was nice to see Butch Gray on the keyboard. Butch is
a former Air Force Band guy who also is the pianist on the Tommie Money Big Band
CD. I'll see saxophonist Larry Johnson next Wednesday at Sasha's on DeMun where
he said he planned to sit in with Jim Manley and Chris Swan.
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CARTOONS: This week we feature editorial cartoons on drunk driving Secret Service
Agents. Next week we will have at least five pages of Hillary Email cartoons.
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As I longtime reader of Mark Trail…this one made me laugh.
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from Steve Benson of the Arizona Republic
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